Boxwoods have so many pests it’s a wonder we continue to grow them. Boxwoods are special though so we work to protect them from each new threat. That work will get harder if box tree moth gets established in North America.

We are not the only scientists using cities as surrogates for climate change. However, this line of research is in its infancy. We conducted a literature review, led by postdoc Nora Lahr, to compile all the research we could find in which cities were used to predict the effects of climate change.

As a Masters’ student in the Frank lab, I study relatively small organisms called ground beetles. Ground beetles are used to monitor forest health because they are common, vary in food and habitat requirements, and are sensitive to human-caused disturbances.

Cities are hot and often dry. This makes the plants dry and unhealthy. But what about the animals? They can gain water by ‘drinking’ from moist soil or dew, or by eating plants that are mostly water. But what if they can’t find enough to drink?